Adding insult to injury, the bill also states that if the parents should opt to have the test administered at home, the parents are responsible for the cost of administration.
Obviously, by imposing state testing requirements upon homeschooled students, the ability to ensure that state-sponsored propaganda is still implanted into the minds of children is solidified. State tests, by definition, will contain state-based curriculum by which students will be measured, a policy that will necessitate the teaching of such curriculum by parents, whatever their preference, to at least some degree.
Likewise, in regards to the claim that homeschooled students’ names will be reported to their respective school districts, Section 2 (C) states clearly,
By January thirtieth of each year, the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools shall report the number name and grade level of children home schooled through the association to the children’s respective school districts to ensure compliance with the provisions of Section 59-65-10.
The most frightening claim made by the HLSDA, however, is that membership in a homeschool association would be eliminated with the passage of HB 3478. Yet, while the legislation does not state outright that homeschool associations themselves will be banned, the bill does state that associations with less than 50 members will no longer be considered acceptable as meeting the requirements of existing law.
The bill states in Section 3 (A),
In lieu of the requirements of Section 59-65-40 or Section59-65-45, parents or guardians may teach their children at home if the instruction is conducted under the auspices of an association for home schools which has no fewer than fifty members and meets the requirements of this section.
Because the only acceptable homeschooling associations are those with 50 or more students (effectively a private school), this clause concretely eliminates the traditional notion of homeschooling which takes place within the family home.
All in all, HB 3478 is not merely another step in the corralling of Americans into the prison-style indoctrination camps known as American public schools, it is the evisceration of homeschool rights in South Carolina. This, of course, is merely one more step in the total removal of parental rights altogether nationally and worldwide.
If you are in South Carolina, please contact your Representative immediately and express your objection to HB 3478. Even if you are not a resident of South Carolina, please call the individuals listed below and explain to them the moral and legal objections to the passage of this bill.
Please take special notice that Norman D. “Doug” Brannon (R-38) is the main culprit for this insult to parental rights as he is the Representative who proposed it to begin with. Interestingly enough, Brannon is also associated with the most notorious and unconstitutional common courts in the nation, Family Court, so his lack of understanding or concern for the welfare of children, families, and parental rights should come as no surprise.
With this in mind, his office deserves special attention and he can be contacted at: (803) 212-6876. He can be emailed at this address. Remember, a person to person interaction is always more effective than email.
The members of the House Education and Public Works Committee and their contact information is as follows:
Phillip D. “Phil” Owens, Chairman (R-5)